Rebuild '00Forester as salvage? Interfering engine?

[OORAHHH!]

One dealer/mech says it is, another says it's not. Slow
collision produced piece of metal that poked through radiator
and eventually nudged the timing belt, disturbing timing. Engine
wasn't pushed back, everything else is fine. Car continued to
run but made a clattering noise for a few seconds before wife
turned off the key.

So...
If it's an interfering engine the cost of engine repair is
$$$$$. If it's not, perhaps it's more like $$. Inquiring minds
need to know, because we can buy this car out of the insurance
company for $2,000. We know for sure that (1) the engine was
running when it was turned off, (2) there is absolutely zero
frame damage, (3) body damage is limited to the front end
(fenders/hood/bumpercover/lights/grill), and (4) the rest of the
car is 100% perfect (36k miles and properly maintained).

It needs two front fenders, bumper cover, front lights, hood,
grill, crossbar, radiator, the engine work, and a few bits and
pieces.

One more point - my wife would really like a specific non-Subaru
color, so if we go forward we'll do a full-car paint job and
she'll love it.

Am I walking into a minefield? Quicksand?

 

[Alan]

Considering no one knows what is really wrong, I'd say you are walking in a
quicksand minefield.

 

[OORAHHH!]

We just got a definitive answer. Alas, that *IS* an interfering engine.

The damaged vehicle will be $2k. The dealer from which we originally bought the
car wants $1850 to repair it, with a guarantee. Body work plus paint will be
$5k.

Therefore, to buy the car, fix the engine, do the body work, and get a first
class colorchange paint job will cost under $9k. Because we are certain as to
the limit of damage, we can't find a reason not to do it.

 

[Jim Stewart]

We just got a definitive answer. Alas, that *IS* an interfering engine.

The damaged vehicle will be $2k. The dealer from which we originally bought the
car wants $1850 to repair it, with a guarantee. Body work plus paint will be
$5k.

I would not pay the $1850 for the engine work without verifying actual
valve/piston damage. I think that it's possible that there is none,
even though you have an interfering engine. Fix the timing belt
issues and do a compression check. If it's good, button it up and
send me a small reward The fact that the engine ran after the
accident leads me to believe the damage may not be all that bad.

 

[OORAHHH!]

I would not pay the $1850 for the engine work without verifying actual
valve/piston damage. I think that it's possible that there is none,
even though you have an interfering engine. Fix the timing belt
issues and do a compression check. If it's good, button it up and
send me a small reward The fact that the engine ran after the
accident leads me to believe the damage may not be all that bad.

Good call!
We just discovered that the insurance company paid for a teardown, and they found
only a couple of slightly damaged valves -- no damage whatsoever to block or pistons.
Evidently the timing belt just slipped a bit - didn't come off. We'll get the car
back with the heads removed, and have already found someone offering to rebuild them
for a few hundred dollars. This is looking better and better.

 

[64vair]

Good call!
We just discovered that the insurance company paid for a teardown, and they found
only a couple of slightly damaged valves -- no damage whatsoever to block or pistons.
Evidently the timing belt just slipped a bit - didn't come off. We'll get the car
back with the heads removed, and have already found someone offering to rebuild them
for a few hundred dollars. This is looking better and better.

My experience has been that seldom are pistons damaged. Usually the valves just get bent. And with the hardened seats that are used, you can just lap in a new valve where ever any were bent, and not even need to do a valve job! I like to vacuum check valve sealing after I lap in a valve.
Tom